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Indonesia has made slow progress in tackling the piracy that has thwarted IP rights owners in the country. Nicholas Redfearn examines the country’s attempts to develop effective protection and reveals how some rights owners are coping with the problems

The month in figures

When, in 1993, Czechoslovakia separated into two independent states, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, both republics incorporated Czechoslovak valid law into their legislation. As far as IP rights are concerned, the most important act was the Patents Act No 527/90. In the following years both republics were working on their own legislation and individual Trade Marks Acts were adopted. However, the work continued. International cooperation required substantial harmonization with legislation of the European Union and as far as patent law was concerned; the work was focused on substantial harmonisation with EPC.

As many technology-rich companies face economic problems, they are looking to their intellectual property to raise money. Zack Clement, Johnathan Bolton and Carmen R Eggleston analyze the role of IP rights and licences in financial restructuring

According to the Romanian Trade Mark Law no 84, art 23 and the Regulation for implementing the Law, rule 19, within three months of the date of publication of a trade mark, the owner of an earlier mark or of a well-known mark, the holder of an earlier right in a likeness or surname, a protected geographical indication or a protected industrial design or any other concerned person, may file an opposition to a published mark with the State Office for Inventions and Trade Marks.

Spain is Europe’s leading importer and cultivator of genetically modified corn. Yolanda Echeverría of Clarke Modet & Co in Madrid examines EU directives controlling this industry and explores the economic and health benefits of transgenic products

Koos Rasser of Howrey Simon Arnold & White in Washington examines the implications of the Festo ruling on US patent practice

Japanese patent law allows applicants to file so-called product by process claims. But the scope of such claims can be complicated to interpret. Yoshiaki Muto of Tokyo Aoyama Law Office – Baker & McKenzie in Tokyo reviews recent cases on this question